Kean to stay until June 2011

2010-12-22 17:40

Blackburn - Blackburn's owners will leave temporary coach Steve Kean in charge of the Premier League team until the end of the season.

Kean has been in charge for less than two weeks and for just one game. That ended in a 1-1 draw against last-place West Ham on Saturday, but Asian poultry giant Venky's said on Wednesday that Kean will lead the side until June.

Venky's bought the northwest England club for 46 million pounds ($73 million) on November 19 and fired manager Sam Allardyce with the team 13th in the 20-team Premier League.

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson was among those to praise Allardyce's work with limited resources, but Venky's instead promoted Kean from his position as Allardyce's assistant.

Blackburn has been mostly mediocre since winning the 1995 Premier League, but Kean said this week he can fulfill the new owners' seemingly impossible demand of guiding the team into the top five, while spending only 5 million pounds ($7.8 million) in the January transfer window.

Blackburn is just six points above the relegation zone.

"If we have a full squad and 5 million pounds, I am confident we could finish above 10th," Steve Kean said. "But we need to sit down and see how the 5 million breaks down. I do not know if it is just 5 million on salaries and fees or just fees. First and foremost, we need to know what the budget is for January.

"Can we finish in the top five only spending 5 million? It is fair comment if everyone is fit."